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Don't jeopardize your business in an effort to defend it

Most people get into the healthcare industry because they want to help others, whether they become a doctor or work as an administrator in a nursing home. However, there are many realities of this industry for which you might be unprepared.

For instance, regardless of if you work in a huge hospital or own a small clinic, you are still part of a business, and a business can succeed or fail based on its professional relationships. Managing these relationships can be one of the most important priorities for healthcare providers, and there are things you should do and things you should not do.

For example, things you should do include: complying with laws that govern programs including Medicaid and Medicare, protecting patient privacy and working with an attorney to navigate complex business transactions like mergers.

What you should not do is lash out at patients online, jeopardizing your reputation and your patients' rights.

This appears to be a growing and unwise trend among people in the medical field. As noted in this Washington Post article, numerous doctors and healthcare workers have taken to sites like Yelp to respond to negative feedback from clients and patients.

According to the report, however, the healthcare worker responses have ultimately backfired. Instead of protecting themselves, heath providers are risking their reputation and license by engaging in ugly online disputes and, in some cases, violating a patient's privacy by revealing protected information.

It can be tempting to respond to negative statements, especially when they are misguided or inaccurate. However, workers in the medical industry have to be very careful about their conduct, in person and online. Rather than create more problems by responding to negative reviews and comments online, it would be better (and legally effective) to discuss any potential care issues or bad experiences directly with the patient.

In an effort to protect your business, you can wind up making some bad choices. In order to avoid these missteps and seek more appropriate solutions for disputes with clients or partners, it can be in your best interests and your company's best interests to discuss lawful measures to address the situation with an attorney.